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Back The Lying House Save as PDF
Chapters (103)
  1. Cover
  2. Back Cover Text
  3. Praise
  4. Booklist
  5. Dedication
  6. Epigraph
  7. 1
  8. 2
  9. 3
  10. 4
  11. 5
  12. 6
  13. 7
  14. 8
  15. 9
  16. 10
  17. 11
  18. 12
  19. 13
  20. 14
  21. 15
  22. 16
  23. 17
  24. 18
  25. 19
  26. 20
  27. 21
  28. 22
  29. 23
  30. 24
  31. 25
  32. 26
  33. 27
  34. 28
  35. 29
  36. 30
  37. 31
  38. 32
  39. 33
  40. 34
  41. 35
  42. 36
  43. 37
  44. 38
  45. 39
  46. 40
  47. 41
  48. 42
  49. 43
  50. 44
  51. 45
  52. 46
  53. 47
  54. 48
  55. 49
  56. 50
  57. 51
  58. 52
  59. 53
  60. 54
  61. 55
  62. 56
  63. 57
  64. 58
  65. 59
  66. 60
  67. 61
  68. 62
  69. 63
  70. 64
  71. 65
  72. 66
  73. 67
  74. 68
  75. 69
  76. 70
  77. 71
  78. 72
  79. 73
  80. 74
  81. 75
  82. 76
  83. 77
  84. 78
  85. 79
  86. 80
  87. 81
  88. 82
  89. 83
  90. 84
  91. 85
  92. 86
  93. 87
  94. 88
  95. 89
  96. 90
  97. 91
  98. 92
  99. 93
  100. 94
  101. Epilogue
  102. Acknowledgments and a Personal Note
  103. Excerpt

Lisa then thought of Jeff’s violent streak and his determination to handle Vida himself without telling his bosses or the detectives. Nothing made any sense—

She stopped in her tracks, hesitating.

She’d heard a sound ahead, in a darker section of bush.

Like a child’s cry. Maybe a lost little boy or girl?

Breathing steadily, Lisa left the running path and, pushing away branches, moved closer to where she’d heard the sound.

“Hello?” she called.

Step by step, she progressed into the cool, darkened corner of the forest until it swallowed her.

A distance ahead, a branch quivered.

“Hello?”

Lisa made her way to the area from which she was certain the sound had emanated but found nothing. She swallowed, turned in all directions until she heard another branch snap. Not far off through the leafy growth, she saw a flash of orange.

A jacket, shirt or cap?

The tiny hairs on the back of her neck stood up, and her scalp tingled.

There was no child. Something, or someone, was watching her.

Slowly stepping back, she reached for her spray, positioned it in one hand. She then reached for her panic alarm with her other hand as she turned and rushed away through the brush, branches slapping and pulling at her, as if trying to prevent her from returning to the path.

Her heart hammering, she ran as fast as she could without looking over her shoulder, running until she got home.

Once inside, she locked the door behind her, slammed her back against it and worked to catch her breath.

Was that real? Was there someone there? Am I losing my mind?

She stayed at the door until her breathing subsided.

Using her phone, she ran a check of her home-security system, scanning all the cameras until she was confident the house was empty. Then she went upstairs, removed her clothes and got into the shower. As the steaming water rushed over her, she began to shake uncontrollably.

She began sobbing, huge gasping sobs.

Hugging herself, she slid to the floor of the shower like a broken woman, knowing there was one person she could turn to for help.

42

Stepping from the shower, Lisa picked up her phone and found Roland Dillard’s number and sent him a text.

Hi Roland, this is Lisa Taylor, your neighbor. Sorry to impose, but I’d like to see you about a confidential matter. Are you free?

While waiting for his response, she toweled off, dried her hair and got dressed. She was pulling on a shirt when her phone pinged with Dillard’s response.

I’m free. Come on over.

Fifteen minutes later, she was at his doorstep and rang the bell. Dillard opened the door, wearing khaki shorts and a navy polo shirt.

“Forgive me for disturbing you.”

“Not at all.” He gestured to the living room.

Lisa glanced around before she sat on the sofa. “Where’s Nell?”